my recipes, Italian and otherwise

Fava Bean and Pecorino Salad

This salad says Spring to me like nothing else. It’s bright, green, and fresh looking and the salty bite of the pecorino gives it beautiful depth of flavor. The mint makes it even more refreshing and it pairs well with anything. It’s still cold and rainy here in New York, and this is a much needed reminder that Spring is just around the corner.

Fava Bean and Pecorino Salad

2 cups fava beans, shelled from the outer layer

1 cup arugula

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

3 tablespoons chopped mint

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper

Pecorino shavings

Blanch the fava beans in boiling water for 2 minutes so that you can remove the white outer shell. Shock in ice water to stop the cooking. Pinch one end of a fava so that the bean inside pops out.

Combine the shelled favas with the arugula, lemon juice and zest, mint, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss together. Plate with some of the pecorino shavings on top to garnish.

I saw your post and thought it’s another US recipe that I can’t get the things to make… but delighted to discover from your pictures that Fava beans are actually what we in the UK call Broad beans, so will be trying this one out! 🙂